DURHAM, N.C.-Duke University senior Zach Howell and junior CJ Costabile have been selected among the 25 nominees for the 2011 Tewaaraton Trophy. The Blue Devils are one of seven programs to have at least two student-athletes represented for the nation's pre-eminent collegiate lacrosse accolade.

Duke has had two players win the coveted award as Matt Danowski and Ned won the trophy in 2007 and 2010, respectively. This is the first year Howell and Costabile earned the distinction as nominees for the Blue Devils.

Howell, an attackman, leads the Duke attack with 34 goals and 12 assists for 46 points. He currently leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in goals and is third in overall points. Scoring a goal in each of his past 22 contests, Howell is one of just six current players to have registered at least one goal in 20-plus straight games. He notched a career-best seven goals and nine points overall in the 2011 season opener against Siena and has produced 10 multiple goal games overall this year. For his career, the Huntington, N.Y. native has 125 goals and 54 assists for 179 points. He currently ranks tied for eighth on the Duke career goals list and is 14th at Duke in career points.

A 2010 All-America third team selection, Costabile helps to anchor the Blue Devil defense and handles faceoff duties. He currently leads the team and is third in the ACC in ground balls with 69. Duke's leader at the faceoff X with a .547 win percentage (76-of-139), the longstick midfielder has won 10-plus faceoffs twice this season and picked up at least five ground balls in eight games. The Fairfield, Conn. native also is a threat on attack for the Blue Devils, contributing two goals and four assists this season. In 2009, he became the first freshman to win the ACC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honor after guiding Duke to the conference title. He continued to excel in postseason games in 2010 as he scored the overtime game-winner in the NCAA title game against Notre Dame. For his career, Costabile has played in 53 games, posted 13 goals and 15 assists, picked up 206 ground balls and registered a .543 win percentage in faceoffs.

The seventh-ranked Blue Devils will begin postseason play this weekend in the ACC Tournament. Duke earned the top seed after going unbeaten in ACC play and will host fourth seed Virginia on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Durham, N.C. The winner advances to the ACC Tournament Championship on April 24 at 3:30 p.m. All games will be played at Koskinen Stadium on the campus of Duke University.